[HyperFnord]

I just ripped mine ("M") out of the package about 30 minutes ago. Granted mine was used, so has unknown burn in, but right now it sounds very, very good. This is my first-ever headphone amplifier... I figured I may as well start with something high-end so I don't have to upgrade for many years. Well, that and the fact that I know I won't have this much money to spend on things like this for very long.
I only have my pair of er-6's to listen to it though, as I just sent my grado sr-80's away on trade to Mr. Ball at ALO. Pending my getting newer, more beefy headphones (hopefully I'll make a decision soon), the Hornet makes the IEM's sing loud and clear. And I mean it - this thing is LOUD. I have always been dissapointed with the er-6, they've always sounded far away and anemic. The Hornet makes it sound much clearer, though the limitations of the ety's are obvious they still sound great, especially from such a beaten up, well-used pair as mine. I'm very excited about this amp, and am a bit sad that I never got to hear my sr-80's on it. Oh well!

I have a nice burn-in regimen for this sucker. I have a handy DAC hooked up to my Mac Mini, which is basically USB-line-out-to-RCA. There is a wonderful program by BlackHole Media called Noise which simply pumps pink or white noise. I have the Hornet hooked up to the DAC and plugged into the mains. I run the computer 24/7 normally, so this thing is going to get a non-stop burn in for a couple of weeks. I can also play some lossless audio into it at the same time as the pink noise, but I don't know if that's necessary for just the amplifier (might be interesting to try on cans, though).

That's all, I'm pretty wiped and can't wax hyperbolic much longer, especially since I've spent so little time with it so far.

 

[Suzuka]

Similar question. Should I keep my master volume in windows at as low as possible as well, and let the amp amp the rest or keep it maxed and simply attenuate the volume from amp? I am using an x-fi card.

 

[animaal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzuka /img/forum/go_quote.gif Similar question. Should I keep my master volume in windows at as low as possible as well, and let the amp amp the rest or keep it maxed and simply attenuate the volume from amp? I am using an x-fi card.

This is a good question. I had thought that if a computer's "line-out" is used, then the Windows volume control would have no effect - line-out is at line-out levels, right? However, the windows volume control does change the volume of the line-out. Does this mean the line-out is actually amplified?

My uneducated guess would be that it makes no difference what the volume is set to.

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HyperFnord /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just ripped mine ("M") out of the package about 30 minutes ago. Granted mine was used, so has unknown burn in, but right now it sounds very, very good. This is my first-ever headphone amplifier... I figured I may as well start with something high-end so I don't have to upgrade for many years. Well, that and the fact that I know I won't have this much money to spend on things like this for very long. I only have my pair of er-6's to listen to it though, as I just sent my grado sr-80's away on trade to Mr. Ball at ALO. Pending my getting newer, more beefy headphones (hopefully I'll make a decision soon), the Hornet makes the IEM's sing loud and clear. And I mean it - this thing is LOUD. I have always been dissapointed with the er-6, they've always sounded far away and anemic. The Hornet makes it sound much clearer, though the limitations of the ety's are obvious they still sound great, especially from such a beaten up, well-used pair as mine. I'm very excited about this amp, and am a bit sad that I never got to hear my sr-80's on it. Oh well! I have a nice burn-in regimen for this sucker. I have a handy DAC hooked up to my Mac Mini, which is basically USB-line-out-to-RCA. There is a wonderful program by BlackHole Media called Noise which simply pumps pink or white noise. I have the Hornet hooked up to the DAC and plugged into the mains. I run the computer 24/7 normally, so this thing is going to get a non-stop burn in for a couple of weeks. I can also play some lossless audio into it at the same time as the pink noise, but I don't know if that's necessary for just the amplifier (might be interesting to try on cans, though). That's all, I'm pretty wiped and can't wax hyperbolic much longer, especially since I've spent so little time with it so far.

A common mistake is to remember you have to have headphones plugged into the amp during burnin and playing at a normal or slightly higher listening level.

Just dont want you to waste all the burnin time for nothing. The sound needs to enter and exit the amp for it to works!!! Happy burning!

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by animaal /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is a good question. I had thought that if a computer's "line-out" is used, then the Windows volume control would have no effect - line-out is at line-out levels, right? However, the windows volume control does change the volume of the line-out. Does this mean the line-out is actually amplified? My uneducated guess would be that it makes no difference what the volume is set to.

Yes the term line out on you computer is just another way of lableing that thet is the audio output jack. I sure there are high end sound cards that offer a true line out signal bit you will have to do some checkinf for that.

Again I would set the gain to low on the hornet put the Volume around 12:00 and the adjust the volume on your computer so that your headphones sound just slight louder than your normal listening level. That should give you a good starting place and then you can tweek up or down from there.

If you crank the Computer volume my guess is you wont have much play on the Hornet knob for adjusting and the card probably isnt as clean at max vol.

Just my 2 cents!

 

[rhymesgalore]

Acutally you have to set the volume on the PC to the maximum, to achive maximum sound quality. I remembered Jan Meier talking about it, when people were arguing about 16bit vs. 24bit output on the Corda Aria.
So, although this post from him is not directly aiming at what i'm trying to say here, you can read from the first parts, why -under normal conditions (with 16bit output that is) - sound quality will be lower when not setting the KMixer (that's whats the windows volume control is called) to the max.

You can also read a bit about it in the computer-as-source forums, when you search for "bypassing kmixer" or something like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan Meier /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dear Headfellows, From the various responses that I have received it seems like people do not fully understand why the digital volume control does reduce sound quality of the 16 bit data and not of the 24 bit data (after conversion from 16 bit data into 24 bit data). Just take one 16 bit sample and have the digital volume control set to 12.5 % of its maximum value. Original sample: 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 The digital volume control simply removes the three left bits and shifts data to the right. Sample copy after digital volume control: 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 Three bits are simply removed and the effective resolution therefore only is 13 bit!! If the data are first converted to 24 bit then the 24 bit copy of the original sample is 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Its copy after the digital volume control (again at 12.5 % of its maximum) will be 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Only zero bits have been removed. The effective resolution of the signal is still 16 bit! This is one of the major reasons why 16 bit audiofiles on the computer sound so much better after conversion to 24 bit! Cheers Jan

 

[pretzelb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif using the ipod dock instead of the headphone out is CRUCIAL. more than one person has come up to me at meets and said "am i crazy or is the line out thing the biggest difference for my ipod's portable rig chain? no you aren't crazy. it's true. it's the biggest best difference. run away from the headphone out, run away!

I used to think that too but there was a post recently where many iem owners were saying they tossed their amp away after they upgraded their iems because the difference in quality wasn't there or enough to justify the bulk. I'm finding line-out to be the biggest factor for me so far but I'm still on the Grado SR60 and Shure E2C for my top of the line equipment.

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pretzelb /img/forum/go_quote.gif I used to think that too but there was a post recently where many iem owners were saying they tossed their amp away after they upgraded their iems because the difference in quality wasn't there or enough to justify the bulk. I'm finding line-out to be the biggest factor for me so far but I'm still on the Grado SR60 and Shure E2C for my top of the line equipment.

You need to do the test yourself and stop listening to others. I personlly disagree and think the line out adds much more depth to the music.

Try them both if you can and decide for yourself. It has been stated in many threads "I dont hear a difference" "I hear a huge advantage".

It up to your ears and desire to carry a amp that matters most!

 

[nickknutson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You need to do the test yourself and stop listening to others. I personlly disagree and think the line out adds much more depth to the music. Try them both if you can and decide for yourself. It has been stated in many threads "I dont hear a difference" "I hear a huge advantage". It up to your ears and desire to carry a amp that matters most!

I agree with trose. I was stuck listening to my E500's straight out of my iPod headphone jack for a week while I was waiting for my Hornet. They sounded dead compared to when they're amped. But now I have my Hornet and I'm very happy with it's performance. 200 hours of burn-in and counting.

 

[pretzelb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You need to do the test yourself and stop listening to others. I personlly disagree and think the line out adds much more depth to the music. Try them both if you can and decide for yourself. It has been stated in many threads "I dont hear a difference" "I hear a huge advantage". It up to your ears and desire to carry a amp that matters most!

I would totally agree with you except ... I don't have the equipment. I guess you can say I'm a non-conformist around here because I don't buy the equipment asap.

I'm one of the (rare) lurkers who reads and gathers opinions for a while. I have too many other interests (and not enough income) to justify several $300+ purchases to "try" stuff out. But, I just started gaining interest in this again and I'm keeping an eye out for the various meet and greets so that might help.

For me personally, I'm still not sure I want to try a high end iem yet. It would solve my need for a new portable yet zero noise spill solution but I'm a bit iffy on iems right now. If I did go with some nice iems, it would be hard to pull the trigger on the amp at the same time. Guess I'm a very odd duck around here since I'm also a bit cheap.

 

[KrooLism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdeadfolx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Since the E5c has an impedence of 110 ohms (unusual for IEMs), what gain setting do you use on your hornet?

Although the E5 has a higher impedence than the ER4S, you have to look at sensitivity too for SPL.

I mean, the K-1000's have an impedence of 120 ohms but it's definitely a LOT harder to drive than my HD 650's.

 

[tnmike1]

The line-out question is real, and I just discovered this for a known fact. Am using my Ipod in my store, playhing thru a stereo system. Plugged the stereo into the Hornet with a jack, Ipod inot amp with ALO Jena Cryo. OK, Ipod plays and needs to be recharged. volume set at about 8 o'clock on the Hornet. Now I unplug the LOD from Ipod and Hornet, plug in my rechargeing cable from Ipod into the Ipod, mini-to-mini plug from Hornet into the usual Ipod headphone jack. No sound. Not until I ramp the Hornet volume up to about 2 o'clock do I get sound.

So, yeah, the lineout dock for the Ipod is crucial to decent sound.

 

[tnmike1]

OK gang, thanks. Will mess with the Ipod volume later. I DO, in fact, use both ALO's Jena Cryodock and Moon Audio Silver Dragon V2; love both but can recharge Ipod with the Dragon while it's playing. So, no, usually don't use the headphone jack on the Ipod, but almost always the line out with my two docks

 

[wakeride74]

I don't even bother with an amp while charging the iPod... pretty pointless as you are just amplifying the signal filtered through the craptastic internal headphone amp on the iPod. Go ampless for 45 minutes and recharge

 

[aluren]

not to go against the lineout thing, but i thought i read somewhere that there was no difference in sq in terms of lineout and headphone jack for the ipod. i remember briefly reading through it but didn't care since i have the imod, but that thread was quite long...